Pregnancy Complications

During pregnancy, stress on the liver, kidneys, brain and heart increases. High blood pressure, or hypertension, is the most common sign of preeclampsia, a complex clinical condition affecting...

There are several different reasons a hospital may decide that they have to induce labor, but what happens when you want to convince them it is time to help your baby make its arrival. Inducing...

Unfortunately, the glow of pregnancy is not the only common skin change that can occur while you are expecting. Skin tags, which are loose, small growths of skin, often are a side of effect of...

Preeclampsia is a condition that occurs most often after the 20th week of a woman's pregnancy. It is suspected when a woman has high blood pressure, headaches, blurry vision or abdominal pain, or...

You have to rush to the bathroom every other hour, your baby seems to be doing a jig, and now your legs ache and tingle. It is another sleepless night of pregnancy, complete with restless leg...

Babies in the breech position with their feet ready to come out first can make labor and delivery more difficult and complicated. As a pregnancy progresses, the breech baby becomes tightly held in...

Placenta previa is a pregnancy complication where the placenta sits low in the uterus, covering the cervix. It may be complete, covering the whole cervix or partial, where only part of the cervix...

Uterine fibroids are masses that grow in or on the uterus. Though they can occur at any time, they are most commonly detected during an ultrasound of a pregnancy. They typically do not cause pain...

Morning sickness is one of the first signs of pregnancy, and it can be miserable. Fortunately it usually goes away after the first trimester. Unfortunately, “morning sickness” doesn’t just occur...

Due to the advances in medicine and more awareness of health issues, men and women are putting off parenting until their careers are established and other personal goals have been met. Women over...

One of the factors that is closely monitored during pregnancy is the growth of the fetus. The doctor checks this growth to make sure all is progressing as it should. However, slow body growth can...

If you are pregnant, you may be concerned about gestational hypertension (high blood pressure in pregnancy). According to a National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), "hypertensive...

According to the March of Dimes, more than one million preemies die each year. Premature births can happen to any pregnant woman, regardless of age. While there is no cure for premature births,...

Prescription medication, when under the supervision of a physician, is usually safe during pregnancy; however, abuse of these drugs (and over-the-counter medications) can pose severe consequences...

Before getting pregnant, a woman should do her best to maximize her nutrition and take care of any known health issues or risks (like smoking) that she can. Sometimes, though, complications can...

Blood pressure is the force exerted by the blood on the walls of arteries. Normally, this number falls in the 120 mm Hg over 80 mm Hg range. If these numbers climb to 140 over 90 or higher, high...

A pregnancy is described as high risk when certain factors put either the mother's or the baby's life at risk. A woman who is planning to get pregnant should be in the best health possible to...

Irregular fetal growth is better known as intrauterine growth restriction. Irregular growth during gestation has many causes, and women who are pregnant with a child who is not growing adequately...

Some women choose to put off pregnancy until they are older for many reasons: career, health and sometimes relationship status. While not true in all cases, getting pregnant can become more...

Bed rest is often prescribed when a woman has complications in her pregnancy. This can be as minor as spotting in the first trimester or as major as preeclampsia in the third trimester. Bed rest...

Many women experience the anticipation of conceiving. There are many cases in which women who are trying to becoming pregnant seem to do so overnight. This is not typically the case. Most healthy...

Pregnancy constipation affects most women off and on during most stages of pregnancy. There are several factors that may cause this uncomfortable back up, such as; increased and changing hormones,...

Although the odds of getting pregnant while using the birth control pill are quite low, it can happen. Not knowing you're pregnant, you might continue taking oral contraceptives. Taking birth...

Tubal ligation is believed to be 100% effective in providing birth control; however, women may become pregnant after the ligation procedure. Women who decide they want to become pregnant again...

When constantly plagued by nausea, headaches, sleeplessness and body aches, it's tempting for pregnant women to reach for one of the many over-the-counter medicines available at the drugstore. But...

Welcoming a new baby into the family can be an exciting time for any family. With all pregnancies, some complications can occur. It is vital that the fetus grows in order for the pregnancy to...

Raynaud's phenomenon is a condition that causes a persons blood vessels in the fingers and toes to constrict and narrow. Generally this causes the skin to turn white, and creates a tingly...

A high risk pregnancy is defined as one in which some condition puts either the mother or fetus at higher than normal risk for complications.

Heparin is an anticoagulant drug that is prescribed to decrease the clotting ability of blood and help prevent harmful clots from forming. While it will not dissolve already formed blood clots, it...

HPV, or the human papilloma virus, is a sexually transmitted disease that causes venereal or genital warts. If a woman is infected with HPV and then becomes pregnant, there is a rare chance it can...

Most mothers begin pregnancy assuming that they will give birth after nine months to a healthy, full term baby. But the statistics tell a different story and all expecting mothers should be...

A woman may develop hypothyroidism during pregnancy. In fact, hypothyroidism is one of the most common types of thyroid disease that surfaces during pregnancy, according to Pregnancy Info. Knowing...

Next Choice, also known as the morning-after pill, is an emergency contraceptive used to help prevent pregnancy up to 72 hours after unprotected sex. Next Choice can also be used if another form...

No one talks about it. No one wants to go through it. Having a miscarriage is definitely not easy but you can do it.

Enoxaparin sodium is the generic name for Lovenox. This anticoagulant is used to treat deep vein thrombosis blood clots. While enoxaparin does not cross the placenta, due to the lack of...

Abdominal pain during pregnancy is a common occurrence. Fortunately, in most cases, abdominal pain turns out to be nothing serious. Knowing the difference between harmless and serious pains during...

Blood transfusions are meant to treat patients who are sick or injured. During pregnancy, proper care of the mother is an important concern. When that care involves a blood transfusion, there is...

Gastroschisis is a birth defect that causes a baby's intestines to extend outside of the body through a hole in the abdomen. About 1,500 babies are born with gastroschisis every year in the United...

At 11 weeks into a pregnancy, a baby no longer is in the embryonic stage. She now is a small human being who fits into the palm of your hand. At this stage, there are some risks that pregnant...

Cervical cancer usually is derived from human papillomavirus and develops when cancerous tissues begin to form in the cervix. Cervical cancer usually develops quite slowly and with no symptoms but...

While most pregnancies yield healthy babies, there are things that can put a fetus at risk. Prior pregnancies, genetics and outside factors can cause the fetus to be at a higher risk for...

A couple is considered infertile if they are under 35 and have been trying unsuccessfully for at least on year to get pregnant; or are over 35 and have been trying for six months to get pregnant....

The placenta is the life support system for a fetus; it connects the growing fetus to the mother and supplies nutrients and oxygen and removes waste. According to the American College of...

You're probably concerned about the risks to your baby and your health if you have high blood pressure during pregnancy--either because you have chronic high blood pressure or because you've...

During pregnancy many women have thicker and healthier hair because estrogen levels are high. This increased estrogen means hair remains in its growing phase longer, leaving fewer hairs in the...

Some birth defects are preventable while others are caused by genes. There are no guarantees but here are some things you can do to reduce the chance of birth defects for your child.

Even with all the joys of pregnancy, urinary tract infections can put a damper on your fun. Urinary tract infections are able to strike at any time during your pregnancy and can lead to serious...

The joys of pregnancy---feeling the baby kick, watching the belly grow, preparing for a welcome addition to the family---at times can be overshadowed by common complaints, such as headache, muscle...

Giving birth to a stillborn baby can be one of the most heartbreaking, difficult things you can go through as a woman and a mother. Some women try to get pregnant again right away and some wait...

Fallopian tubes are essential to the natural pregnancy process. A woman, however, can still become pregnant with none, or only one fallopian tube. Once an egg is released from an ovary, it is sent...